Spiral
by ForestWhisper3
Summary: Okay...Deep breaths. THINK. What's the last thing I remember? Well, I wasn't in a forest, that's for sure. I need to figure out where I am, then find a way home, hopefully finding out just what in the world happened to my body along the way...I can't think of anything that would cause this, though...and that is NOT the Hokage Monument. Nope. I refuse to believe that. SI/OC.
1. Chapter 1

Different summary because I can't remember the original one I wrote...and I'm probably getting a bit over my head by posting this before finishing my other fic, but all of you have been so good to me that I thought it might be a nice surprise. Naruto was the world that won the poll in regards to what type of SI/OC story I should do next, so...

To all of you that have been incredibly patient with me in regards to Horizons, thank you, and I hope you enjoy this new story just as much.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**Prologue  
**

Consciousness came to me slowly, followed by the feeling of something dry and crusty over my eyes and something cold and stiff pressing down on me. For a few moments, I just lay there, wondering why in the world I felt so _tired_. This led to me finally opening my eyes and screaming my heart out.

Wouldn't you, when you wake up to find a _dead_ person pressed against you?

I scrambled away as fast as I could, fighting the urge to either vomit or pass out, ultimately losing to the former when I realized that the dry, crusty _something_ on my face was _blood_.

I had seen the dead before, but only at funerals, where the bodies had already been cleaned up. They didn't have gaping wounds and wide, unblinking eyes. To be confronted by the sight in such a sudden manner-...Well, I don't think anyone could blame me for breaking out into a panic.

I felt a little better once I'd stopped crying. Not a lot, but enough to have gained back a bit of reason and ability to think. Of course, that led to a whole _different_ set of problems, which, scarily enough, the dead bodies in front of me only were a _slight_ part of.

First problem: I was in a forest. Immediate concern, seeing as I didn't live anywhere near one.

Second problem: I was _tiny_. Also an immediate concern because by all accounts, I should be a lot bigger.

Third problem: I was _tired_ and felt a sort of prickling _ache_ from my head down to my toes. It wasn't illness, but I didn't know what it actually was. It probably wasn't good, though.

Panic started to build up again, but I did my best to push it back this time. It wouldn't do me any good here.

_'Okay...Deep breaths. __**Think**__. What's the last thing you remember?'_

Waking up to _coldstiff__**blood**__-_

I shivered and repressed the urge to vomit again. I had to get my act together. For all I knew, whatever had...killed them was still around.

_'I need to figure out where I am, then find a way home, hopefully finding out just what in the world happened to my body along the way...'_ I stared at my now small hands for a moment before shaking my head, a bit of unease settling into my gut. _'I can't think of anything that would cause this, though...'_

Focus. I had to _focus_. I couldn't afford to think these sorts of things if I wanted to get anywhere, or at the very least, avoid the same fate as _them_. If that happened, my family would be devastated.

A part of me wondered if _they _had family waiting for them too.

_"Sachiko-chan."_

I jerked at the whisper that flickered at the back of my mind. A part of me felt like I should _know_ the voice, but I just couldn't place it. Almost unbidden, my eyes trailed back to the dead couple, and I bit my lip. They looked young- late twenties at the most. The woman had a pretty face. It was soft, with a small, pointed nose and her clouded eyes looked like they might have been a warm apple green. Her hair was brown.

The man...I don't think I'd ever seen hair that particular shade of blond without it being fake. His face was handsome- almost oriental in structure, but a bit more angled and with his nose a bit rounder. His eyes had been blue.

"I'm sorry..."

I wasn't sure what I was apologizing for. Their premature death? The way they had gone? Regardless, it helped ease the lump that had caught in the back of my throat. It just...felt like the right thing to say because...

Because looking at them made my heart ache.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Two hours later, and I still felt like my hands were tainted. You know, that sort of skin crawling feeling you get when you touch something you _really_ don't want to, and even washing your hands doesn't help?

I _had_ touched two corpses, though, so I suppose it was understandable.

I couldn't bury them, but I had done my best to make sure they weren't just sprawled out on the floor, either. It hadn't seemed right to just leave them like that. So, I had turned them face up, closed their eyes, and just...arranged them the best I could (since this small body pretty much had nothing in terms of strength) before taking off.

I didn't know where I was or where to go, but I didn't want to stay there.

Fortunately, I'd found a river a short time later. _Un_fortunately, I couldn't make it _go away_\- like I couldn't make the unfamiliar face that stared back at me every time I caught my reflection go away.

...I had _her_ nose. Hell, I had her _face_. It was still chubby with bits of baby fat, but I would have to have been _blind_ to miss the resemblance. The only thing that set me apart was the shockingly _blonde_ hair- the same shade as the man's had been.

Not for the first time, my thoughts immediately went back to panic mode. Why did I resemble them so much? How had I woken up here, in a place I didn't know and with an appearance that wasn't mine? Why was I a child again? How was I going to get home? _Would_ I even get home?

...Or was I going to die here?

_Wide __**green**__ eyes that would never again shine with warmth and love because they were __**deaddeaddead**__-_

_"We love you, Sachiko-chan."_

I felt like crying again.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

I had a plan. It wasn't a very thought out plan, but it was better than nothing. Still, the fact that the sheer brilliance of a little over twenty years of life could only come up with "follow the river to hopefully find civilization," wasn't exactly comforting.

I had never been lost before. Heck, I'd never even been _camping_. I'd never had to rough it out or rely on sheer wits and desperation to keep placing one foot in front of the other. It was frustrating and terrifying and the small part of me that wasn't begging to _stoppleasestopI'mso__**tired**_ was wondering how I was still _alive_.

Of course, that was when my legs finally decided to give out on me.

I wasn't sure how long had passed since I...woke up, nor was I sure how far I'd managed to travel, but, at that moment, the sheer _hopelessness_ of the situation finally broke through the little determination I'd had and forced out every fear and doubt I'd gained thus far- this time without any will to buffer their painful sting.

"Chiku-" My breath hitched as I abruptly cut myself off. "The hell...? Am I...speaking _Japanese_?"

I had _meant_ to say "damn it," which was probably one of the more tame things to be said in my situation, in my opinion. So, the fact that the movement of my lips and the sound itself was what I recognized to be another language- more so that it was a language I _knew_ I didn't know -was more than a little startling. What made it worse was that even though I knew I was speaking a different language, it was completely natural. In fact, it was _English_ that seemed a little odd in my head, and parts of it were hard to remember.

...So...I was possibly going insane. Took me long enough.

When I laughed, it had a note of hysteria to it.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

This was it...This was where I was going to die. Alone, lost, and confused as to how it happened in the first place.

My stomach gave another jolt of pain, but I ignored it. Hunger aside, it wasn't the worst way to go. It was just me and the peaceful quiet of the forest...

"-_ko-chan_!"

I blinked slowly. Was I hearing the voices again? Probably.

"_Sachiko-chan!_"

No...that had been outside of my crazy head! Someone was nearby!

_"...Maybe we should just head back. The odds of her surviving-"_

_"Sensei, I can't just leave without making sure! You saw the documents-"_

_"Documents can be faked! I know how much you want it to be true, but be reasonable!"_

That voice...it was _familiar_. I felt like I'd heard it before. That was...good, right?

"H-...Hey!" I winced at how _weak_ my voice was. They'd never hear me at this rate- not when they were so busy looking for someone else. "..._Here_!"

The voices stopped.

I bit my lip, sobs making their way out even as my vision began to fade. Had I just imagined it all? If I did, I took back what I'd said before- this was a _terrible_ way to die- with hope being dangled in front of my face.

"_Please_..."

I just wanted to go home.

"Sachiko!"

I felt someone lift me up so _gently_ that I wasn't sure if I was still hallucinating. With the last bit of strength I had left, I opened my eyes to stare into ones of deep sapphire blue.

"Don't worry...I've got you."

I should have freaked out. I really should have. But, tired and exhausted as I was, when I stared at the kind, concerned, _young_ face of a boy that would grow into a man I'd seen in the pages of a manga, I could only feel relief.

Result of an insane mind or not, I was pretty sure I'd be safe with Namikaze Minato.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"...She's so _light_, Jiraiya-sensei."

He could have pointed out the obvious- that she was a child that had probably gone _days_ without food, so it was a given that she would be _light_ -but felt any desire he might have had to do so fade at the worry in his student's eyes.

"She'll be fine once she gets a few meals into her."

Minato absently nodded. Jiraiya sighed.

"You're lucky you're my favorite," he grumbled.

Still, he supposed he couldn't be mad. This was a big thing, and Minato was usually a very attentive, diligent student- the sort of student most teachers _wished_ they had. He could be forgiven for acting more his age for once, especially at the discovery that he wasn't quite alone anymore.

Namikaze Sachiko.

Daughter of Namikaze Kaito and Namikaze Hoshimi (formerly Kobayashi Hoshimi). That was what they had been able to glean from the documents they'd scavenged from the ruined cart near the dead couple. Minato had been understandably upset at how recent the death of his unknown family was ("I could have _done_ something!"), but upon finding out that there was a third relative that was _unaccounted for_, he had searched for her with a firm determination that bordered the obsessive.

At least it had ended well enough. He wasn't quite sure what he would have done if the girl had been dead too.

Not that it couldn't end up happening anyway. The girl looked no older than three or four. It was nothing short of a miracle that she had lived as long as she had to begin with, so there was still a huge risk they would lose her in her weakened state regardless of how quickly they brought her back to Konoha for treatment. It seemed his student caught on to that fact as well, given that he had finally pulled himself together and was urging him to hurry up.

He only sighed in response as he absently bit his thumb to summon a toad he knew could get them home in half the time it would normally take. Well behaved as Minato was, he could get _pushy_ when he was worried. A part of him wondered if having a new sibling (if the brat survived, that is) would only make it worse...

Well, the teenage years should be interesting, that was for sure.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

So it begins.

Originally, I was going to continue this chapter, but then I realized that this really was the best place to stop for now. The next chapter should be the real beginning of this SI's new life in Konoha- and yes, she is related to Minato. They are second cousins (that means the children of two cousins, I think).

Now to add a bit more details that I think some of you want to know.

Unlike most of the Naruto SI's I've read, Sachiko doesn't remember being born. She _will_ eventually remember her infancy and onward until the point in time where she "woke up," but it will be slow going as the trauma of suddenly having memories another lifetime thrust upon you kind of messed things up a bit. That also means she'll start out at the same level of skill as all the other ninja offspring, if not a little less so due to how different that sort of lifestyle is.

Which brings us to the next point.

It is currently ten years before the Kyuubi attack. I think that gives everyone a good idea as to when this takes place (not like having Minato there wasn't enough of a clue...). Just in case a lot of you aren't too sure as to what this means in regards to the other characters, this is my rough estimate (created with the help of the internet and other people's timelines), since no _official _timeline has been posted to the best of my knowledge:

Sachiko is 3. She was born March 16, 13 years BKA (before Kyuubi attack)

Minato- 14. Born 24 years BKA

Kushina- 13 (almost 14). Born 23 years BKA

Jiraiya- 28. Born 38 years BKA.

Hiruzen (Third Hokage)- 46. Born 56 years BKA

I think those are the most relevant at the moment. Other ages will be revealed as the characters themselves are introduced, but I'm sure you can guess most of them with just these as reference. So yea, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. Take care and until next time!

Also...attacked carts are the way to go for a less troublesome backstory. :3


	2. Chapter 2

So here's the next chapter. The fact that most of my inspiration strikes when I'm unable to really act on it is kind of annoying. Such is life, I suppose.

There's more set up than anything in this chapter, but things should start picking up in the next one. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it.

On a different note...At first, I really hated the fact that Obito was turned into a bad guy. I felt like it took his character and spat on it. I _still _dislike the idea, to be honest, but the fanfic writer in me can see potential in it too, so it's a little more tolerable than before. That being said, "Bad Apple" from Touhou would be a pretty good image song for adult Obito, I think.

I do a lot of YouTube browsing when I'm writing chapters.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

**Chapter 1**

_"Where are we going, Papa?"_

_"We're going to a village called Konoha, Chiko-chan. Mama told you about it, remember?"_

_"Oh yeah! Mama told me I can make some friends there!"_

_"Yes, I'm sure you will. You must be patient, though. It will be about a week before we get there."_

_"What? That long?!"_

_A warm laugh. "It will be worth it. You'll see."_

...

...Who was that?

"-for another few days...no...staying...-nato."

They sounded so familiar...but I was pretty sure it wasn't the voice of anyone I knew.

"-won't...alone...up."

Then there was the fact that I was remembering something like that at all. As far as I knew, it had never happened. So...why was I remembering it? Was it even me that had been talking to that strange voice?

"Stubborn-..."

The rest of the words grew muddled as unconsciousness began dragging me back. Of course, this only made something in me panic, seeing as the last time I'd fallen asleep, I'd woken up to that nightmare and a half. To my dismay, my body didn't seem inclined to listen to me; all I could do was latch onto that gentle voice for comfort as I drifted off again.

"I'll be here when you wake up," it promised.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

The next time I came to was both better and worse. Better, because I would _stay_ awake, and worse because I was _waking up_. Which meant that, as impossible as it seemed, this ridiculous situation wasn't a dream.

I was trying _very_ hard not to panic.

I tried to take a deep breath, only to grimace at the smell that reached my nose. It was the normal hospital odors, only more intense- I felt like it was burning into my brain. Naturally, my first instinct was to try and block it, but my body still felt alarmingly weak, so all I managed was a fidget and a soft, frustrated groan. Fortunately, that was enough.

With a sudden movement (it was too smooth to be considered a jerk), Minato was sitting up in the chair by the bed and staring. By the look of it, he had been waiting there for a while, but I wasn't really thinking about that. I was still in shock at the fact that _Namikaze Minato_ was _real_ and _sitting next to me._

"Rghlff."

Immediately, I closed my eyes and felt heat rush to my face. Of _course_ the first thing that comes out of my mouth when confronted with one of the most likable characters in the series was a garbled, choked out mess. How _embarrassing_. To his credit, Minato only laughed a little bit before reaching over to the bedside table to pour a glass of water.

"Here," he offered while carefully helping me sit up, also steadying the glass when my noodle arms proved inefficient for the task. "You've been sleeping for the past few days, so your throat might be a little dry."

I nodded, glad for both the drink and the opportunity to think for a moment.

It was all pretty terrifying if, I had to be honest. At least back in the forest, I could pretend I was still on Earth (was this place called Earth too, or did it have a different name?). Now that the truth was being shoved in my face, I didn't really know what to do. I couldn't start just blathering away about what I knew- that was all kinds of stupid in a village of paranoid assassins, regardless of them being the "good guys." But then, where did that leave me?

For that matter, why _was _Minato here?

I vaguely recalled seeing him back in the forest, but being the one to find me shouldn't have been enough of a reason to stick around, more so when I took his appearance into account. He looked young- which meant that there was a good possibility that I'd arrived some time during the Second Great Shinobi War (if I could trust that, admittedly convoluted, timeline I'd read once upon a time). Had it already ended? If so, how long did I have until the next one started?

I hoped it was long enough to get used to this, but I doubted that was going to happen.

"Feeling better?"

No. Not really.

As if hearing my thoughts, he winced slightly. "Probably not the best question," he muttered to himself before attempting a smile. "I'm Minato. Do you know where you are?"

Probably Konoha, but it wasn't like I could tell him that, so I just shook my head. He frowned slightly and I saw his mouth open as if to say something else, but before he could there was a resounding crash from outside the room.

"I'M LEAVING AND THAT'S FINAL!"

Minato was on his feet and out the door in an instant, leaving me to stare in a mix of awe and disbelief at the empty chair. Funny how I'd never given thought before to how ridiculously _fast _ninja actually had to be in order to pull off some off the things they did. Gai and Lee's speed would probably be closer to instant transmission to my Earth based sense of physics and reality.

I paused for a moment to wonder if Gai had even been born yet. More than likely, but I couldn't be too sure. It would be _weird_ if he hadn't, though. I just couldn't picture myself as being _older_ than him...

Of course, it was around then that the door slammed open, making me jump. Since these hospital beds weren't the kind with the gates to stop people from rolling off...well...My face became painfully acquainted with the floor.

"Tsunade-sama!"

Minato sounded upset, which helped curb the tears that had automatically sprung up in my eyes. I wasn't sure if it was a byproduct of the pain or if it was due to my younger body and a young child's tendency to cry over just about anything, but it was something to think about in the future. For the moment, I just wanted to be left alone so I could pull myself together long enough to come up with some answers for the inevitable questions awaiting me.

...and maybe try to scrounge up the little dignity I had left.

"Sorry," she sighed.

I barely had the chance to sniffle before I felt myself being picked up and placed back on the bed. I blinked at the sudden angle change, then jumped at the foreign feeling that began flooding through me.

So _this _was chakra...

I'd never really given much thought to how it felt, to be honest, even when reading all the stories that tried to describe it. It started as a slight itch, then changed to...I guess the closest I could say was a cool tingling- like when you used those face cleansers -or even like when you splashed cold water on your face on a hot day. It spread from the tip of my nose to the rest of my face, quickly eliminating the sting I'd been feeling.

It was _awesome_.

Some of what I was feeling must have shown on my face because a corner of Tsunade's mouth quirked upward in amusement.

"Are you okay, Sachiko-chan?"

I blinked and turned to Minato in confusion. Jiraiya was behind him, standing in the doorway with a solemn expression on his face, but I pushed that aside in my mind for the moment as I tried to figure out who he was talking to. I'd never heard of anyone named Sachiko in Naruto, and there was no one but the four of us in he-

...Oh.

I should have expected it, seeing as I looked nothing like I remembered, but I hadn't. Hearing that name used to address _me_...knowing that it was _supposed_ to be me...I felt like I _wasn't_ me anymore. Like I'd lost an important part of myself, if that made any sense.

Fortunately, Minato seemed to interpret my troubled expression as something else. "I saw your name on the documentation your pa-"

He faltered here, his eyes widening slightly as he realized something, and stopped. By that point, however, it was too late. My brain had already made the connection on its own. That man and woman, the ones I'd woken up next to, had been my _parents_ in this life.

I felt a sharp stab of _loss_, stronger than the one I'd felt when I first saw them, and the tears came without warning.

"O-Oh! Oh, no, I'm sorry! Please don't-!"

When I felt myself be drawn into an embrace, I didn't resist. Instead, I was trying to understand just _why_ their deaths were affecting me so much. It wasn't like I'd really known them- not like the family of my other life anyway -so by all accounts, it _shouldn't_ feel like I felt now. Maybe it was a combination of dual loss? The loss of the family I'd known and the loss of a chance to get to know my new one...It made the most sense to me, anyway.

I ignored the niggling feeling that I _did_ know them. Somehow.

"Your student is an idiot, Jiraiya."

There was a protest from one of the males, possibly both, but it was a weak one. I didn't pay it too much attention.

"I'm sorry," Minato apologized once I managed to reign in my reaction a bit. "I didn't mean to upset you. Really."

I nodded in acceptance after a moment. I still felt off, but he really did sound sincere in his apology. He smiled at that, but the relief in his eyes confused me a bit. Why was it so important to him that I forgive him? It wasn't like I'd interacted with him for very long...

I was pulled out of my thoughts at the feeling of Tsunade running a hand through my hair. I sighed slightly, closing my eyes at the comforting sensation. It reminded me of my mother, and it helped to settle some of the chaotic thoughts and feelings running rampant within me.

"She needs a bath," she stated bluntly.

Well, no arguments there, although I did feel a pang of embarrassment. I could see how oily my hair was from the strands that crossed my vision, and I just felt plain _dirty_. When _was _the last time this body had had a bath? I mean- Ugh, I could see some sort of dissociative disorder developing in the future if I couldn't come to grips with this. The Yamanaka would have a field day, no doubt.

Actually, no. I didn't want a Yamanaka in my head at all. Best not to think about it.

I distracted myself by watching Minato flail about at Tsunade's suggestion, notably flustered and amusing as hell. Jiraiya...well, he looked uncomfortable about it for a split second before a leer overtook his expression.

"I take it you're offering to help, Hime?"

Her arms tightened around me, and I almost choked at how thick the air suddenly became.

"I swear, if I find you anywhere _near_ the bath house...!"

Scary. Was this killing intent, or just regular threat intent? Because if it was just the latter, I never wanted to feel the former.

It seemed Jiraiya knew how to pick his battles with her by this point too, since he readily agreed.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Taking a bath...was different.

"Isn't this nice, Sachiko-chan? You'll be nice and clean in no time."

It wasn't just that Tsunade was being strangely sweet (and trust me, that was odd enough on its own), but it was the process. Apparently, one had to scrub down and rinse _before_ entering the tub or hot spring. It wasn't anything monumental to comprehend or difficult to do, since it kind of reminded me of using shower heads before entering a public pool, but it was just...different. Something I'd never had to do in my other life that seemed to emphasize the fact that I wasn't a _part_ of it anymore.

Bath-time: the perfect time for inner contemplation.

I'm sure that, once everything really sunk in, I might even feel some more embarrassment at being a naked toddler in a room full of naked women, but for now, I could only feel a sort of blankness to it all.

I was in the Naruto world...

Nope. Still sounded crazy.

I'd read stories about this, sure. Who hadn't by the time I found myself here? But as all of them like to state, you don't really expect it to _happen_. Did the fact that I was going through this mean that all of those _other_ authors were too? Different universes, maybe? Oh man, what did that mean for _my_ stories? Was an alternate me in _them_? Was _I_ an alternate me, and the _real _me was still in my reality, writing this out?

Oh, _ouch_. Major headache material right there. I was just going to shove that into a deeeep corner of my mind and _never _think about it again.

I probably wouldn't have the time, seeing as I'd be too busy trying to _survive_.

Was I panicking? I think I'm panicking now. I tend to ramble sometimes when I'm panicked.

At least it was finally sinking in...

"_Breathe_, little one."

I took a shuddering breath I hadn't realized I needed. I probably shouldn't have been surprised, but when I released it, it came out as a choked sob. It was the second time today, but I didn't care. I'd just lost _everything_ I knew and loved with no way to get it back. I was in a world where it was stand up or be beaten down. Where, even though bonds of friendship and family were encouraged, so was violence. _Killing_.

I think that merited the right to a few more tears.

"It's okay."

There was that feeling again. The one of safety and "I'm here, it's alright" that I'd felt in the hospital. I think I remember it being called Positive Intent once, although I didn't remember where. For a moment, I marveled at it. It was such a simple thing, but...so amazing when I really thought about it. It reminded me that chakra wasn't just for killing. It could be used for _good_ things too. To comfort. To heal. To protect.

I liked the sound of that more.

Maybe it was wishful thinking, but as I looked into Tsunade's concerned eyes and managed to smile, I thought that maybe things wouldn't be as bad as I thought.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Jiraiya watched as Minato neatly placed the final pillow on the bed they'd bought. He honestly thought it could do with less, but far be it for him to ruin his student's good mood.

At least when it came to room decoration.

"You sure about this, kid?"

The blond paused, and it was only then that the trembling of his hands was really noticeable.

"No," was the whispered response.

He sighed and sat down on the bed, gesturing for Minato to do the same. He hated causing doubt in people he cared for, but this was a big responsibility. Minato had to be absolutely sure of himself for this to work.

"So why are you doing it?"

The silence dragged on. Long enough that he was starting to think that he wasn't going to get an answer. Finally, the teen ducked his head, his hands tightly gripping the material of his shorts as he gave a short sardonic laugh.

"I'm just being selfish, I guess."

"Oh?"

"I keep telling myself that this is the best choice. That, with the war just ending, people are going to be concentrating on rebuilding. That no one is going to be thinking about adopting, so she would be better off with me. But...that's not true. I just want it to be."

"Because of who she is."

"Is that wrong?"

His eyes were lost, and pleading. It had been a long time since he'd seen his apprentice so vulnerable, and a part of him let out a sigh of relief. He'd been afraid that the war would kill that bright inner light and leave just the cold, calculating shinobi behind.

"No," he told him, thinking of those he'd loved and lost throughout the years. "It's not."

"Okay."

The second silence was more comfortable than the first.

"Sensei?"

It also didn't last as long.

"What is it now?"

"Thank you."

He looked away, pleased and not wanting to admit it.

"Just go find the little brat and bring her here already, before Tsunade-hime decides to steal her instead."

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"If I wasn't leaving, I'd take you for myself," Tsunade hummed with a smile.

I paused in my contemplation of the two pigtails she'd tied my hair in and looked up. We were currently at a little tea shop not too far from what I thought was the Hokage's building, two cups of tea and a plate of senbei between us. I had to admit, I was a bit wary at first, as is the case when faced with anything new to eat, but both were surprisingly good. Or maybe I was just hungry.

"You seem like a well behaved child. Cute too."

I suppose I _was_ a cute child, given what I remembered my reflection to look like, but it was so different from what I was used to that I had trouble associating that with myself. Among other things, I was supposed to have dark brown hair and hazel eyes, not blonde hair and green. Talk about a complete one-eighty.

Wait. There was something tugging at the edge of my mind, telling me that there was something to that.

"But frankly, I'm already going to be taking one small child around the elemental countries. Having another one is stupid, and besides, Jiraiya's brat claimed you first."

Wait, wait, wait. By "Jiraiya's brat" did she mean- and that he-?

"There you are."

Minato was standing there with a wide grin, completely unaware of my racing thoughts. Of the fact that I'd just realized I was probably _related_ to him in this life...Don't get me wrong, being related to him was worlds better than being related to Kisame or something (_brr_), but...odds were I was going to be right in the middle of things regardless of what kind of life I chose to lead. Not that I really _had_ a choice as to whether I became a ninja or not now- it was a matter of whether or not I wanted to _live_ at this point.

...But I didn't know if I _could_.

"Sachiko-chan? Sachiko!"

I jerked and looked up.

"Are you alright?"

That...was a very good question. I couldn't say I _was_ okay, but...it felt like I was dealing with this a lot more calmly than I should have been, earlier freak-out notwithstanding. It might just be that I wasn't as over my shock as I'd thought. Or, I really was in a dream (_yes, please)_ and I couldn't feel the necessary emotions as strongly as if it wasn't- it was hard to tell. Still, in a place like this, it probably wasn't in my best interests to take the situation lightly. So...what to say? It probably wouldn't hurt to be as honest as I could, considering Danzo and Madara were able to manipulate so many people due to a lack of communication.

So, I shrugged hesitantly.

Eloquence, thy name is my own.

Minato sighed, exchanging a look with Tsunade before he kneeled down next to me.

"The Hokage- that's the leader of this village -said it was fine if you stayed with me," he began gently. "I-...I can't promise that it'll be easy, but I'll do my best to look out for you. You won't ever be alone."

Honestly, I had all the reason in the world to refuse. He might promise to never leave me alone, but I knew better. Namikaze Minato was going to die in a decade or so, leaving his loved ones behind to either pick up the pieces or run from the pain. Maybe it was selfish, but I didn't _want_ to be one of those people. I didn't _want_ to get to know him, because I knew I was only signing myself up for heartbreak if I did.

And yet...

There was something in his eyes that spoke of a similar pain, mixed with a sort of desperate loneliness. The same look that his own son would have in the future. Could I really just...turn away from that?

No. I don't think I could.

I doubted I could be a good ninja, but I _could_ be family (what _was_ I to him, anyway?). I could give Minato the chance to know what it was like, seeing as he'd died before he could in the manga. Then, if it came down to it, I could look after Naruto too. No child deserved the kind of life he'd led, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I allowed it knowing I was in the perfect position to actually _do_ something about it.

And I guess...I was kind of scared too. The pain of being alone lasted so much more than that of loss, after all.

I sighed inwardly. I think I was just going around in circles at this point. It was hard _not_ to, honestly, but I doubted the world would wait while I waged war with myself. It would be too busy giving me _other_ things to fight.

I'm sure that one day, I'll be able to think back on this day fondly. Maybe. For now, I could only wonder just what I was getting myself into as I nodded in agreement and allowed myself to be led to my new home.

To begin my new life as Namikaze Sachiko.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End**

So...there it was.

I honestly can't think of much to say about it. If you do have any questions, though, feel free to message or review, and I'll do my best to answer. Other than that, I hope you enjoyed it. Take care and until next time!


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